Golden Apricot film festival builds up Armenia’s reputation – foreign diplomats

The GOLDEN APRICOT Yerevan 11^th International Film Festival is cooperating with foreign diplomatic missions in Armenia.

The diplomatic missions of France, the United States, Germany, Poland and Israel are supporting a number of initiatives of the GOLDEN APRICOT festival.

On this occasion, the heads of the aforementioned diplomatic missions invited a press conference in Yerevan.

German Ambassador to Armenia Reiner Morell noted that he was looking forward to the festival.

The festival plays a most important role not only in Armenia, but also in the entire region. It is due to the festival that Armenia enjoys a high international reputation, Mr Morrel said.

He welcomes the young directors’ participation in the festival. The festival program includes New German Cinema, with the films ‘Inbetween Worlds’, ‘Jack’ and ‘Love Steaks’ to be screened from July 16.

French Ambassador to Armenia Henri Reynaud is glad about traditional cooperation, which has enabled a number of renowned film directors’ participation in the festival. The French Embassy in Armenia is sponsoring the presence of actress Anna Mouglalis, cinema critic Jean-Christophe Ferrari and others. About ten films are in the festival program.

The French Embassy in Armenia is sponsoring the retrospective program of the world-famous directors Amos Gitai and Otar Iosseliani.

Violeta Talandis, Information Officer, US Embassy in Armenia, said the US Embassy welcomes the festival. On the initiative of the US Embassy, the Golden Apricot festival program includes a training course as part of the Armenia-Turkey platform, July 14-16. Ten projects – five Armenian and five Turkish – have been selected. The best will receive a $10,000 prize.

Robert Rokicki, First Counsellor, Head of Political Section, Embassy of Poland in Armenia, said that a number of Polish actors and film directors are participating in the Golden Apricot festival this year.

The Polish Embassy is sponsoring the Yerevan premiere of ‘The Constant Factor’, a film by renowned film director Krzysztof Zanussi.